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JACKSONVILLE PAVER SYSTEM GUIDE

Permeable or conventional?
The difference is below the surface.

Both systems can create an attractive driveway, patio or parking area. They manage water differently and require different joints, bedding, base materials, drainage planning and maintenance.

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Permeable concrete paver driveway with wide aggregate-filled joints after rain at a Northeast Florida home
Permeable paver examplePermeable pavers manage rain through stone-filled joints
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Florida-aware scopeBeauty you can live on, with drainage, heat and maintenance addressed early.
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THE KEY DISTINCTION

A permeable paver is part of a complete drainage system.

Permeable interlocking concrete pavement allows rainfall to pass through aggregate-filled openings into an open-graded stone reservoir. Conventional interlocking pavers use narrow sand-filled joints over bedding sand and a compacted dense-graded base, with the finished surface sloped toward an approved drainage path.

Permeable and conventional pavers compared

FeaturePermeable systemConventional system
JointsWider openings filled with clean, washed stone that lets water enter.Narrow joints filled with joint sand or compatible polymeric sand.
BeddingOpen-graded crushed stone; CMHA guidance commonly describes a roughly 2-inch bedding layer.Graded bedding sand, commonly about 1 inch after compaction.
BaseWashed, open-graded stone sized for structural support and water storage.Dense-graded aggregate compacted in controlled lifts for structural support.
Water pathWater enters the joints, moves into the stone reservoir and infiltrates, drains through an underdrain or uses a designed combination.Water runs across a properly sloped surface to landscaping, drains or another approved discharge point.
SubgradeInfiltration rate, seasonal high-water level, compaction and soil stability affect the hydraulic design.Bearing capacity, moisture, drainage and compaction affect structural performance.
MaintenancePrevent sediment loading; inspect and clean open joints to preserve infiltration.Maintain joints, edges and drainage; clean and reseal when appropriate for the selected materials.

SEE THE DIFFERENCE

How the two pavement systems handle rain

How permeable and conventional pavers manage rainwaterA side-by-side drawing showing water moving through aggregate-filled joints in a permeable paver surface and flowing across a sloped conventional paver surface.PERMEABLE SYSTEMCONVENTIONAL SYSTEMRain enters the stone-filled jointsWater is stored below, then infiltratesor leaves through a designed outlet.Rain moves across the finished slopeRunoff is directed to an approvedlandscape area, drain or discharge point.
Surface behaviorThe joint openings are the easiest difference to see, but the base below determines how the system actually manages water.
Permeable interlocking concrete pavement installation cross-sectionA labeled cutaway showing concrete pavers, aggregate-filled joints, open-graded bedding, a stone storage reservoir, an optional underdrain and prepared subgrade.TYPICAL PERMEABLE PAVER CROSS-SECTIONLayer depths and drainage details must be designed for the property and expected loads.Concrete paversStone-filled jointsOpen-graded beddingStone reservoirOptional underdrainPrepared subgradeA separation layer may be usedwhen the soil and design require it.
What is beneath the paversThe open-graded layers create structural support and temporary water storage. An underdrain is optional and depends on infiltration, groundwater and the approved drainage design.

Typical permeable-system installation requirements

  1. Evaluate the property. Confirm traffic loads, existing runoff, utilities, slopes, soil behavior and the seasonal high-water table. A system that cannot infiltrate quickly enough may need an underdrain, outlet or different design.
  2. Protect the subgrade. Excavation should not smear, contaminate or unnecessarily compact soil intended to receive water. Geotextile or other separation is used only when the design and soil conditions call for it.
  3. Build the stone reservoir. Place clean, washed, open-graded aggregate in specified lifts. The reservoir depth is determined by structural loading and the required water storage and recovery.
  4. Install open-graded bedding. Screed the specified crushed stone bedding without substituting conventional bedding sand.
  5. Set the correct pavers. Use units and a laying pattern intended for the required loads and joint openings. Install edge restraint compatible with the system.
  6. Fill and compact the joints. Sweep the specified washed aggregate into the openings, compact the pavement and top up the joints after initial settlement.
  7. Keep sediment out. Stabilize adjacent soil and landscaping before opening the pavement. Soil, mulch and construction debris can clog the surface.

Typical conventional-system installation requirements

  1. Plan elevations and drainage. Establish finished slopes, thresholds and approved runoff paths before excavation.
  2. Excavate unsuitable material. Depth depends on soils, traffic, demolition and the specified pavement section.
  3. Compact the subgrade and base. Install dense-graded aggregate in manageable lifts and compact it to the project specification. Soft areas and drainage problems should be corrected rather than covered.
  4. Screed bedding sand. Use specification-grade bedding sand in a uniform layer. Bedding sand is not a substitute for correcting an uneven base.
  5. Install pavers and edge restraint. Maintain the pattern, lines, transitions and joint spacing while protecting the perimeter from spreading.
  6. Compact and fill joints. Compact the units into the bedding layer, sweep in the selected joint material and complete final compaction and cleanup.

When Jacksonville stormwater requirements apply

A residential homeowner should not assume that choosing a permeable-looking product automatically earns stormwater treatment credit or eliminates drainage and permit requirements. When a pervious pavement system is proposed as part of a permitted stormwater treatment system, Jacksonville's current Land Development Procedures Manual requires evaluation and certification by an appropriate Florida-registered and licensed professional.

  • The permitted system must maintain a surface infiltration rate of at least 1.5 inches per hour.
  • Site-specific geotechnical data and a recovery analysis are required for credited storage.
  • The seasonal high-water level must be at least 12 inches below the bottom of the pavement-system profile.
  • Credited treatment or flood-control storage must recover within 72 hours under the stated design conditions.
  • Testing locations, ongoing infiltration testing and maintenance records are required for permitted systems; the manual calls for testing at least every two years.
  • Adjacent landscaping must be managed so sediment does not wash onto and clog the pavement.

These are stormwater-system criteria, not a complete structural specification for every driveway or patio. The pavement still must be designed for vehicle or pedestrian loading, and the property may also be subject to zoning, HOA, right-of-way, utility and other approval requirements.

Questions to answer before choosing a system

Are permeable pavers different from regular pavers?

Usually, yes, but the visible unit is only one part of the difference. Permeable interlocking concrete pavement uses openings or widened joints plus washed, open-graded stone beneath the surface so water can enter and be stored or released. A conventional sand-set system uses tighter joints, bedding sand and a dense-graded base that is designed to shed water from the surface.

Can regular pavers become permeable by leaving wider joints?

No. Wider joints alone do not create a properly functioning permeable pavement. The joint aggregate, bedding, base or reservoir, subgrade, outlet and edge conditions must work as one designed system.

Does every Jacksonville permeable driveway need engineered stormwater calculations?

Not every decorative residential installation is automatically treated as a permitted stormwater facility. However, when permeable pavement is used for required stormwater treatment, drainage credit or a permitted development system, Jacksonville requires professional hydraulic and site-specific evaluation. Confirm the applicable requirements before design or construction.

How is permeable pavement maintained?

Keep soil, mulch and sediment from washing onto the surface. Open joints may need compatible aggregate replenishment, and clogged systems are typically restored with appropriate vacuuming or sweeping methods. Jacksonville's stormwater guidance excludes pressure washing as the maintenance method for permitted systems.

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